WORLD WIDE ROBIN HOOD SOCIETY CELEBRATES 20 YEARS AS ONE OF THE LEADING INFORMATION SOURCES ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE LEGENDARY SHERWOOD OUTLAW.On March 17th2018, the Nottingham-based World Wide Robin Hood Society will mark its 20th Anniversary Year with a programme of varied initiatives including:*The publication of a new book about Robin Hood and the legend’s global impact.*A local cookery contest to find the best recipe for a Robin Hood Pie.*Anniversary theme to the Society’s annual “Feather in Your Cap” business awards. *A children’s story writing competition.*Developing an illustrated Robin Hood talk available to groups and societies.Although the Society was originally a membership-based organisation, over the last 2 decades it has evolved into one of the leading internet-based information resources on all things associated with Robin Hood. It is used extensively by the media and the tourism industry and the Society has contributed to numerous global television documentaries and historical features including BBC’s The One Show; Sky Travel Channel’s “Expedition Unknown” series and French TV’s “Secrets Histoire” series. The Society has also participated in hundreds of radio programmes around the globe, including South America, the USA, Europe, Korea and Australia. Society Chairman, Bob White, said “The very first Robin Hood Society was established in London in the 1700’S and was a club or assembly for public debate. It held its popular, regular meetings in the Robin Hood public house in Butcher Row, near Temple Bar, which is how the Society acquired its name. In the 1970’s, a Nottingham-based Robin Hood Society was created by the local historian and Robin Hood expert, Jim Lees, and its members often dressed up in costume as various characters from the Sherwood tales and helped raise funds for local charities. In the Nineties, Nottingham City Council joined forces with the Nottingham Evening Post and set up a Robin Hood Club especially aimed at youngsters, which featured a series of cartoon woodland animals known as “The Tails of Sherwood”.The present day, internet-based World Wide Robin Hood Society was originally the inspiration of co-founder and sponsor, Mike Douglas from Hull, who established a successful communications business in Nottingham in the late 1990’s. He said “Over the past twenty years the Society has seen many changes but the phenomenal global interest in Robin Hood has never faltered and the legendary outlaw continues to be an iconic figure with a massive international fan base, and he regularly features in new films, books and the global media.”For further information contact Bob White on e-mail at bob@robinhood.info or by phone on (0115) 9523183 or mobile 07504 852731 or visit the Society website at www.robinhood.infoRead more...

MAN or MYTH? – It no longer really matters!

Man or Myth? Invariably, that is the most frequently asked question about Robin Hood and because there is no conclusive, undisputed historical evidence that categorically proves his actual existence or who he really was, Robin has become an extremely divisive figure and the elusive mystery as to his true origins only adds to the intrigue and fascination. Whether he lived or not, no longer really matters.

Over the centuries, fiction has triumphed over fact and the tales of England's famous outlaw have become a worldwide legend establishing Robin Hood as "the People's Hero" and elevating him to "international celebrity" status as an icon of popular culture with a fan base that stretches back over 500 years!

As a retired public relations and marketing professional, my own personal interest in Robin Hood has never been about the historic "man or myth" issue but has been more practically focussed on how Nottingham's legendary figurehead evolved into a powerful global "brand" and how that phenomenal promotional potential might be more effectively harnessed for the benefit of his home city and county.

The recent discovery of Richard III 's remains under a Leicester car park inevitably sparked off some rival comments about the "historic credibility" of the find compared with Robin Hood's "fantasy existence" but fact or fiction should make no difference when it comes down to effective marketing.

The Walt Disney Organisation attributes it's highly successful marketing mantra to being based on the fact that they treat their fantasy creations as "real commercial brands or personalities" and actively exploit every opportunity to vigorously promote their marketing and publicity potential. A glance through any of the promotional and media packs that accompanied some of their animated classic movies shows just how seriously they adopted this practice and their success proves how effective this strategy was.

Other examples of how you can successfully market a "fantasy" are the Sherlock Holmes Museum in Baker Street, London; the Harry Potter studio experience in Hertfordshire; Peppa Pig World in Hampshire and the Tintin museum in Belgium – all proving that the "man or myth" debate should NOT be seen as an obstacle preventing Nottingham and Notts from fully capitalising on their legendary Robin Hood connections. On a recent visit to London, I also noticed the building in Leicester Square that houses M&M's World, a visitor attraction that is based entirely on the popular chocolate and candy confectionery brand – and with that bizarre example I rest my case!